A Gatherer's Adventure in Isekai (素材採取家の異世界旅行記)

The same old commute.

The same old job.

The same old trip home.

This ordinary life is supposed to be comforting, and yet...

There's a part of me that longs for something different...

A little taste of something out of the ordinary.

- Hey there. - Uh, who are you?

I'm the one who oversees the Solar System.

An alien?

Mmm... Closer to a god, really.

Think of me as middle management for the universe.

Ah, that makes you sound so down-to-earth all of a sudden.

Anyway...

No matter how much I tweak this planet called Madeus, things never go well.

Civilizations keep collapsing on a regular basis,

so now I've had to step in myself.

Into that world,

I drop a single bead.

Sometimes that ripple can swell into a wave large enough to change the entire world.

And you'll become that single bead.

You can't just spring something like that on me...

You've already died.

If you don't go to Madeus now, your soul will simply fade away.

Wha?! How can you just drop something like that on me so casually?!

I'm not going to send you there completely empty-handed, of course.

I'll grant you gifts, whatever you wish.

Call it a Special Ability.

Uh, what exactly do you mean by "gifts"?

Let's see... How about the power to use magic?

M-Magic?

Extreme magical potential. Anything else you want?

Huh?

A cute partner!

Sure. When the time comes, you'll meet her.

Whoa!

I'll also boost your scouting skills.

Gathering materials can be sold for money, after all.

And I'll give you a handy bag to store everything you collect.

Gathering materials...

And I'll throw in the world's language and various resistances...

Huh? Whoa?!

M-My body...!

Looks like it's almost time.

Let's see... I added this and that... Huh?

Maybe I gave you a little too much.

- Your partner is it going to be that? Hope that's okay... - Hey!

- Well, whatever. - What does that mean?!

- You'll be fine. You'll be fine. I'm sure of it... - I'm not okay with that!

You just said "you'll be fine" twice, didn't you?!

I've got a really bad feeling about this!

What now?

I guess I should try to find where people live.

Yes! A settlement!

But if I show up penniless,

I probably won't even get a meal.

I'll boost your scouting skills.

Gathering materials can be sold for money, after all.

Activate scouting magic!

Huh?! Nothing's happening?!

Maybe I'm saying it wrong.

Scouting... Looking...

Uh... "Search!"

Oh! Whoa!

Could these be... the locations of materials?

So the magic activates when I say the right word?!

Then maybe there's a way to look into things in more detail.

Check... Investigate... Scan...

MOONLIT HERB - It worked!

This magic is awesome.

And my first gathered material is Rank B!

Guess I'll just gather everything that's glowing for now.

AKANE MUSHROOM - ELEMENTAL MUSHROOM - EPRARA LEAF - All right, that should do it.

Mostly low-rank stuff, though... Oh?

ELEMENTAL MUSHROOM - EPRARA LEAF

A stone? It's beautiful.

This might be something really good. Scan!

HAMMER ANTEATER DROPPINGS - Poop?!! And it's highly ranked too!

So what I've figured out is...

materials that can be traded show up with different icons,

and I can track them with this scouting magic. Got it.

Anyway, I've gotten a decent haul of materials.

Wonder how much they'll sell for.

Better head to the village before the sun goes down.

A traveler, eh?

Hello. My name is Takeru.

You're awfully tall.

Are you a warrior or a swordsman?

Nah, I'm just here to sell some materials.

A material-gathering specialist? That's a rare sight.

I'm Marlow, part of the Tormi Village watch.

We don't have a dedicated materials shop,

but there's a general store.

You should try there.

Thank you very much.

Uh, hello.

This must be the place.

Hello...

Welcome.

Don't think I've seen you before.

Looking for something?

Excuse me. Would you buy something like this?

Those are hammer anteater droppings!

Its shape, strength, and color are exceptional.

I'm amazed you found this.

How about five silver coins for it?

I don't know the going rate...

How much is a night at an inn?

Five hundred rave per night.

For reference, one silver coin is a thousand rave.

If an inn night's about 5,000 yen...

then this poop is 50,000 yen?!

Hey, you listening?

Ah, yes. That's fine.

Great! A good deal for both of us!

Be aware of what you're doing!

That's poop you're rubbing on your cheek!

If you've got more materials, show me everything.

Whoa! You gathered all of this yourself? Incredible!

Why'd you bring it all the way out to a backwater like this?

I've been traveling and collecting different materials.

I see. In that case, I've got a job for you.

A job? Depends on what it is.

Right. Actually...

I want you to collect some misril ore from the eastern mountain.

Hmm... Do you have a map to that mountain?

Of course. Since it's settled then,

how about 360,000 rave for the materials you brought?

360,000?!

That's 3.6 million yen!

There are monsters up there,

but I'm counting on you, material gatherer!

Wait, monsters show up there?

Phew. I can finally catch my breath.

Man, I'd kill for a shower or a bath right now...

It's the inn staff. I've brought hot water.

It's thirty rave per use.

Uh, what exactly am I supposed to do with this?

Wipe yourself down, such as your body and feet.

You must feel dusty as an adventurer, right?

Ah... Uh, what about a bath?

A bath? We don't have anything like that. You'd have to be a noble.

What?! No bath at all?!

I've heard some mages can clean people with magic,

but we don't have one of those in Tormi.

With magic?!

Thank you!

Here you go.

Th-This much?!

Thanks again.

A magic to clean the body...

Wash... Cleanse... Clean...

Clean!

Amazing. This is so convenient! But as a bath lover...

It still feels so unsatisfying!

AKANE MUSHROOM & ELEMENTAL MUSHROOM - I'm getting the hang of this...

All right, time to scoop it all up.